Nikki Haley should expect a surprise in New Hampshire: 'Democrats can vote'

On the day of the primary in the US state of New Hampshire, candidate Donald Trump is receiving support from former opponents. Doug Burgum, Tim Scott and Vivek Ramaswamy were Trump's rivals in the Republican primaries, but they now side with the former president. This weekend, Trump also received the support of Ron DeSantis, who has suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. “They say it should be over after New Hampshire,” says American reporter John Postma.

If Trump is to make it, he will need to defeat his rival, Nikki Haley, by a wide margin. Consider Trump's nominee to be America's ambassador to the United Nations. He is now Trump's only opponent and has seen his popularity rise recently, especially in New Hampshire.

Just before the primary, polls showed him with nearly 37 percent of Republican support in the state. Still, Trump is still one block away, with more than 52 percent of New Hampshire Republicans supporting him. 'She's actually very laid back,' says Postma. 'He has surged in the polls in recent weeks. But the bottom line is that whether there are only two candidates or five, six or seven, Trump is still the sky-high favorite to win New Hampshire.

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Postma thinks it's only logical that Haley has less chance. 'These are not ordinary primaries like other years. A well-known ex-president is participating here.' However, care must be taken to avoid a special effect in New Hampshire. 'This is a state where a surprise is always possible. In the past, Bill Clinton came second and eventually became the presidential candidate.'

Notably, Democrats can still throw a spanner in the works of Republicans. Democrats are allowed to vote for the Republican candidate in New Hampshire. So Haley hopes that things like that will encourage people to vote at the last minute. “He really needs that surprise to be a serious contender against Trump,” Postma said.